Students share vegetarian food as part of Meatout celebration
By John Gouda (Daily Texan Staff)
March 21, 2002

Students Against Cruelty to Animals treated passers-by to vegan burgers and vegetarian literature at the third annual UT Great American Meatout on the South Mall Wednesday.

The Meatout, a nationwide event started in 1985 by the Farm Animal Reform Movement, attempts to raise awareness about alternatives to meat products. Several companies donated food for SACA's event, including Texas French Bread and Amy's Kitchen.

In addition to vegetarian food items, SACA had a signup sheet for newcomers to pledge not to eat meat, but most of those present were already committed vegetarians or vegans.

Tiffany Keb, a government sophomore and SACA spokeswoman, has been a vegetarian for six years. "When I was a freshman in high school, we had to dissect a pig fetus," she said. "It felt morally wrong, grotesque. That was my first reason for becoming a vegetarian. Then after a while I heard several other reasons."

Keb said one of the main reasons people become vegetarian is to improve their health.

Somik Behera, an aerospace engineering freshman and two-year vegetarian, said occasional meat-eating is fine. "It's okay to eat meat every once in a while, " Behera said. "But you can't do it every day - it's just not healthy."

Keb said many people keep eating meat for convenience. "People have been raised to eat meat, and they just like to keep things the way they are," Keb said.

"People feel comfortable where they are." Becky Elliot, a nursing senior, said she supports SACA but didn't commit to being a vegetarian.

"I never considered it seriously. I've heard all the arguments, but it seems like too much of a hassle," Elliot said. "I know there are places where you can get vegetarian food, but it's too much too deal with."

According to SACA, vegetarianism is becoming a worldwide trend. Some fast-food restaurants, such as Burger King, have introduced vegetarian items on their menu.

Eric Frierson, a computer sciences senior, said he supported the meatout. "It's great to get people to know how good vegetarian food is and to see alternatives to meat," he said.

Frierson said he stopped eating meat on a whim.

"Me and my fiancee made a bet with each other that we couldn't be vegetarian for a month, and it became a perpetual thing," Frierson said. "I started last September, and it is fabulous."